Chapter 9 - Body of Griffin

"I know how men in exile feed on dreams of hope." - Aeschylus

On the clean carpet of the living room lay Sir Lancelot covered in blood.

"What happened?" Asked Harry in a hasted voice.

"We really don't know, Lancelot hasn't fully recovered yet to speak to us. But I do have a feeling that we may get the information soon." Merlin spoke from sitting in front of Lancelot's head.

Just then the front door barged open and a cut-faced Kinglsey stormed into the Granger's house with Tonks in his arms.

"Death Eaters in Godric's Hollow. Just what you expected, Hope." Kingsley panted and dropped Tonks beside Lancelot.

Hope looked up sharply from her sitting position, "So Voldemort went looking for Excalibur, hmm?" Hey eyes widened, "That means he will be able to trace us back to here! Everybody, ready now!"

Dumbledore got up and moved towards Harry, "Harry, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Harry nodded and silently walked up to her bedroom behind Dumbledore. Dumbledore held the door up for her and then closed it, putting a locking charm on it.

"Harry I have something to tell you, or rather give you."

Dumbledore gave an envelope which was rather heavy and thick, "After this battle-"

Harry piped up, "Battle? What battle?"

Dumbledore held up a hand, "Please listen to me. You trust me, right? Well, then, after this battle I want you to head straight to Hogwarts and hand this to me. Understood? Good, now let's go."

Harry took the envelope from Dumbledore and shoved in her new robe pocket, then walked out the door with Dumbledore. As Harry walked down the steps, she saw chaos in the Granger's household.

The Grangers themselves stood shocked in the living room and Hermione was seemed to being lectured by Hope on what to do, Ron the same by Gawain. Harry looked at Dumbledore on what to do.

"We just go out there and give it our best." Dumbledore stared steely at Harry.

Nodding curtly, Harry walked over to the door, opened it and stepped into the cold darkness that had taken over the east side of London.

Focusing her emerald eyes to adjust to the darkness, Harry held up her hand, trying some of her newfound abilities to work again.

"Lumos!"

Instatly a bright sphere formed on her right palm. Smiling, Harry held it up, and walked down to the driveway and began to asses the situation in front of her. The whole of the street and the surrounding area had no light whatsoever.

Must be a spell to destroy electricity, but how can one destroy something that has almost no mass? Harry mused.

"It's a curse," Gawain said form behind her, "It will repel any electricity for a certain amount of time, we can only use magic."

"Considering the opponent we are facing, that certain amount of time must be a couple of weeks, at least." Dumbledore strode up to her, his wand held high in front of him.

"My have you grown, my dear child," hissed a voice form the shadows.

Harry narrowed her eyes at the sound of the familiar voice, "Show you self Riddle."

Lord Voldemort walked out and into the light. Harry stood shocked at the sight that befell her. Seems that I am not the only one that has changed this summer.

Voldemort was dressed in pitch black robes, runes glowing in red on the sleeves. His pale face showing in stark contrast his bright red eyes. His hair seemed to be waving in a distinct, but unseen wind. The black dagger in his right hand looked like that it repelled light.

"Nevertheless, I am not one to sit and discuss things on a battlefield." He raised his right hand, sword with it, and swooped it down to his left.

Harry felt like she had been stabbed by a frozen sword as the coldness took over her. Dementors.

Instictly she raised her left hand and spoke the incantation for the Patronus. The large gold Griffin exploded through her hand and bounded through to the Dementors, each exploding and vaporizing as the Griffin ran through them.

"Impressieve display, Harry. Now lets see who is more powerful me or you?" Riddle smiled and held up his left hand.

From the small amount of light Harry had, she saw back clouds form on the palm of Riddle's hand. The cloud grew until it had taken up all the space in his palm, and then expoleded into the air in front of him, slowly taking form.

"Why not let our Paronuses battle, Harry, then we decide, who shall make the final blow this battle." Riddle smiled as the black cloud formed into a large snake.

Harry looked at her Griffin to find it looking at her, as if waiting for an order. Harry nodded and the Griffin flew over to the snake and clipped it with it's claws. Having the snake held under it's grasp, and anger blazing in it's red eyes, the Griffin pulled it paws apart, ripping the snake in two and the reamniants disappeared in a puff of black smoke. Harry looked up and smiled cruelly at Riddle, "Looks like I have won this part."

Riddle just smiled and turned, spoke some strange language and turned back to them. "Only one part of three, Harry. Only one."

Suddenly, Death Eaters jumped out from behind him and started running up to Harry and the others.

Use me.

Harry looked around wide eyed for the source of that voice.

I can help you.

Harry looked down and saw that the inside of her robe seemed to be glowing blue. Shifing the clothing, Harry saw that Excalibur was the one emmiting the light. As fast as she could, Harry pulled it out of her stealth and held the blade that was on blue fire in front of her.

Do as I say.

Harry nodded and started moving as the sword told her to. Soon enough the curses that came roaring at her were connected with the tip of Excalibur.

Bring me to the ground as fast as you can, with as much power.

Harry did as she was told and slammed the sword on the ground. The area seemed to be exploding in all kinds of light, in all colors. As the light faded away Harry looked around and saw that the Death Eaters that had thrown the curses at her were now laying on the ground, breathing heavalily and blood puring down their bodies. Panting Harry raised the sword up and sood to face Riddle in front of her, finding that he already was smiling and had a hand lined up to her face. He murmured something and Harry soon found herself on the end of one of the fastest curses that she has seen in her life. Harry clutched Excalibur as hard as she could, not affording to loose the sword as the light collided with her chest.

The last thing that Harry heard before plunging into darkness and light was, "Goodbye Potter…for some time."